Flag clamp for poles



'F. w. COFFING FLAG-CLAMP on POLES Aug. 18, 1931.

Filed Jan. 9, 1931 INVEN TOR. FRED/76K 14 C'OFF/NG.

ATTOR NEYJ.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES FREDRI'GK w. COFFING, orrnnavsvrttn, INDIANA FLAG cLA P sou rou es Application filed. January 9,1931. Serial 110,507,563.

This invention relates to a flag clamp for poles.

In many municipalities and some States, it is a. requirement that polesor elongated pipes, and the like, which project rearwardly beyond theend of the vehicle supporting the same,beprovided with a red or warningflag. Heretofore, it has been the practice to tie a red flag to one ofsuch projectingportions. These connections become readily separable andthe flags are lost, or, if the flags are nailed to poles, such astelegraph and telephone line poles, and the like, they will not standvery many nailings before the flag staffs are ruined.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a clamp forpoles which is adapted to be readily applied to and detached from a poleand which will support a flag staff so thatthe flag may be used over andover, and the same may be quickly and readily attached to and detachedfrom the pole by means of said clamp.

' The chief feature of the invention consists in the formation of thepole clamp for flag staff support which includes but few parts and theseuniquely associated together for clamp lock mounting.

Other features of the invention will be more apparent from the detaileddescription hereinafter set forth.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims In thedrawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the clamp in unmountedposition.

Fig. 2 is an end view of a clamp mounted upon a pole and supporting aflag thereon.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the device mounted on thepole and with the flag omitted.

In the drawings, 9 indicates a pole, or the like, 10 an enlongated basewhich is herein shown as a casting and includes a reinforcing edgedefining wall 11, said wall adjacent one end being elevated as at 12.Intermediate the ends of the elongated base 10 and to one side thereoffor handle clearance purposes, is a flag stafi' socket 13. This istubular and includes a pair of aligned transverse openings 14, so that apin, nail or other anchorage 15 may be'passed through the openings andthrough an opening 16 formed in'the staff 17 supporting flag 18. The endhaving the elevated enlarged ridge 12 is suitably slot- '55 ted as at19. The opposite end'of the base supports a pair of upwardly extendingspaced cars 20, aperturedas at21 to receive a hinge pin 22. Hingedlysupported thereby and between said ears is a handle having the portion23 and said handle has an approximate arc of movement of more than 180degrees. The handle terminates in a gripping portion 24 and the lengthof the handle is such that when it is positioned so as to .overlie oroverlap the base 10, the handle terminates short of the end of therecess 19 for clearance purposes, set forth hereinafter.

Intermediate the end of the handle and plvotally supported, thehandle'is provided with an elongated hinge bearing 25 including atransverse opening 26 therein. A substantially U-shaped clip 27 has itsends turned inwardly as at 28 and seatable in said opening 26 of the'hinge forming bearing 7.5 forming a hingedly mounted loop. The loop 1smovable with the handle and when the handle is positioned so that itlies adjacent or in overlapping relation to the base 10, the loopstraddles the ears 20 and by reason ofits over-center position tends tolock the handle adjacent the base through means hereinafter set forth. la l Connected: tot-he loop is a coil spring 29 whichis not onlyextensible axially of the coils but also is bendable into curvedformation, such as shown in Fig. 3, wherein it is illustrated asconformingto the outline of the supporting pole. A link chain 30 issesured at one end to the springand its other 0 end is free. l

The base 10 is positioned upon the pole near the end'thereof' and theflag staff may be inserted in the socket 13 previous thereto orsubsequently thereto, and in the former instance, the flag staff may bepermanently'secured in the socket. The handle is removed from theoverlapping position relative to the base and positioned as shown inFlg. 2. 'The' spring and chain are then passed around the pole or logand the chain is pulled taut and then the closest link is passedlaterally through the slot 19 and the other link next succeeding andtoward the free end is positioned transversely thereof and the sideportions bear against the sides of the ridge 12 and lock the chain andthe base to the pole in encircling relation. The handle thereupon istilted upon its pivot clockwise into overlapping relation with the base,which initially takes up all the'slack in the chain and then extends thecoil spring and at the same time that it extends the coil spring, itmakes the coil spring conform to the outline of the log or pole. WVhenthe handle lies in immediate overlapping rela tion to the base, the loop27 straddles or nestingly receives the ears of the base and thus thespring cannot escape and move along the pole and the handle is locked,by the over-center arrangement and the spring tension, in the poleclamping position.

The invention claimed is c 1. A clamp for poles and the like suitablefor article support purpose comprising a base, an article supportportion thereon, flexible extensible means permanently connected at oneend to end of the base and including a relatively free opposite endadjustably and detachably connected to the opposite end of the base, thebase being included in'the pole encircling arrangement, and a leverpivotally supported at one end upon the base and pivotally connectedintermediate its ends to said flexible extensible means and forpermanent connection of said means to said base, said, lever whenpositioned to overlap the base positioningthe pivotal connection of saidmeans in overlapping relation, to base for imparting tension to saidmeans, said lever when. tilted oppositely from the overlapping relationreleasing the tension imparted to said means.

2. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted toreceive a flag stafi, a handle pivotally supported by said base, a chainadjustably associated with the base for initially positioning the baseon a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, saidhandle when positioned adj acent the base clampingly securing the baseto the pole, said base including a slot for lateral reception of a chainlink, and a transverse ridge terminating' adjacent said slot and uponsaid base and for co-operation with the next succeeding transverse linkfor chain anchorage upon the base.

3. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted toreceive a flag stafl', a handle pivotally supported by said base, achain adjustably associated with the base for'initi'ally positioning thebase on a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, saidhandle when positioned adj acent the base' clampingly securing the baseto the pole, said handle including a swivel bearing spaced from thehandle pivotal support, and a loop swiveled therein and interposedbetween the handle and the yielding connection and arranged forover-center locking of the handle adjacent the base by co-operation withthe pivotal support and the yielding connection. I

4. A flag clamp for poles including a base, a socket thereon adapted toreceive a flag staff, a handle pivotally supported by said base, a chainadjustably associated with the base for initially positioning the baseon a pole, a yielding connection between the chain and handle, saidhandle when positioned adj acent the base clampingly securing the baseto the pole, said base including a slot for lateral reception of a chainlink, a transverse ridge terminating adjacent said slot and upon'saidbase and for co-operation with the next succeeding transverse link forchain anchorage uponthe base, said handle .in-. cluding a swivel bearingspaced firom the handle pivotal support, and a loopswiveled therein andinterposed between the handle and the yielding connection and arrangedfor over-center locking of the handle adjacent the base'by co-operationwith the pivotal support and the yielding connection.

5. A flag clamp for poles including a base, 7

a socket thereon adapted to receive a flag stafi, a handle pivotallysupported by said base, an elongated coil spring, a connection betweensaid handle and said coil spring and arranged for locking the handlewhen positioned adjacent the base through over-center locking and springtension, and a chain connected at one end to the spring, said basehaving a co-oper-a-tive connection with any one of the links for initialencircling of a pole and interlockingly securing the chain to the base,said handle when positioned adjacent said base tensioning said springfor tautening said chain and securing said handle in the baseover-lapping relation.

(3. A device as defined by claim 5, char acterized by the coil springbeing of. considerable length and being laterally deform: able in the.clamping action to conform to the supporting pole outline.

7. A device as defined by claim 5, charac terized by the staff socketbeing. laterally offset upon the base and arranged for handle clearance.V Y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto alfixed my signature.

FREDRIGK w. 'OOFFING. j

